How the hate ruined a heart
by Scartheking
Summary: Sequel of "The scars of a lifetime". This will tell the story of Zira's hate towards Simba and hsi family, and it will focus on Nuka too. Hope you enjoy it, I don't own anything!
1. The first meeting

**Hi guys. This story is the sequel of this one: s/13311196/1/Scars-of-a-lifetime . Be sure to check it out before reading this one, you'll get the plot much better ;). Hope you enjoy both!**

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Mbawa was soaring through the Pridelands's skies. She was looking for a meal. She finally found something. A wildebeest carcass. It was being mearly finished by Mzingo and his parliament. Mbawa circled the carcass and finally landed. Mzingo didn't let her go near.

"I'm not after the meat, remember?" Said Mbawa cocking an eyebrow.

"I hope so…" said Mzingo, and kept eating. Mbawa started preening, but someone startled her.

"Hapana!" The scream came from a young egret, that quickly dissapeared. Mzingo prepared for flight.

"All in favor of leaving?" he asked.

"Aye!" shouted the others. Mzingo took flight, and his parliament did the same.

"You should go, Mbawa, the guard is coming."

"Yeah, whatever…" she said rolling her eyes. "As if that guard was going to stop me from eating. I won't fall again for your tricks, Mzingo."

"As you want." Said Mzingo. He croaked, and they left, soaring with their huge wings without effort.

Mbawa started eating some small bones, and even a bit of meat was left. She was about to break a femur, when Kion appeared.

"You, bird! What do you think you are doing?" Asked the cub.

"Eating, are you blind or what?" asked Mbawa, getting cranky.

Leave the Pridelands!" He shouted.

"Why should I?" asked Mbawa puffing aggresively.

"Scavengers are not allowed here." Answered Kion angrily. The rest of the guard appeared behind him. "Now, get OUT!"

"Make me." Answered Mbawa spreading her wings.

"Leave her to me." Said Ono confidently. "Aaaaaah!" he shouted, as he dive bombed. Mbawa leapt, made a turn in the air, and grabbed Ono by his neck.

"Who is going to go, now?"asked Mbawa smiling. Ono closed his eyes in fear.

"Ono!" Shouted Bunga. He jumped on Mbawa, and made her leave Ono. He farted, hoping to drive Mbawa away.

"Are you always that gross?" asked Mbawa, quickly clawing the honey badger, and having him pinned as moments before with Ono. "Luckily for me I have seen much stinkier things... I'm a vulture, remember?"

Kion then attacked the vulture. Mbawa took flight with Bunga between her claws. Kion's claws only got air. He growled, and looked to the bird. Ono attacked again, and made Mbawa turn quickly, dropping Bunga. Kion, Fuli and the rest checked on the honey badger. He wss dizzy, but OK. Then, a dark lion cub,with huge green eyes appeared. With him there was a creamy little lioness, with purple eyes shining in rage.

"Hey! Leave Mbawa alone!" shouted Vitani.

"Yeah! Mess with someone your own size!" added Kovu.

"Vitani? Kovu?" asked Mbawa.

"Till the Pridelands end!" shouted Kion.

"Lion guard defend!" said the rest going for Vitani and Kovu. The lioness was more than eager to fight, while Kovu was a bit more reluctant, but still got his claws out. Vitani fought wlth Fuli and Bunga, at the same time. She jumped quickly and gave them swift hits with her sharp claws. Still, Fuli managed to deliver a good hit on her ribs, that made Vitani faint.

Kion distracted Kovu while Beshte charged him.

"KOVU!" shouted Mbawa, who was being attacked by Ono. Kovu looked behind and saw the hippo. Mbawa dive bombed, and scratched Besthe's back just in time to stop him and leave Kovu time to escape. She was going to attack again, when something made her fell. Hadithi, the eagle, had hit her from behind. She got on her back and defended herself as she could, as she shouted to the cubs to leave and run away. Mbawa finally got Hadithi off, but she was surrounded by the whole lion guard. But she had another trick under the wing, a bunch of cubs and a egocentric eagle wouldn't stop her. She flapped her wings, creating a cloud of dust that made the others cough, and ordered Vitani to go back home. The cub refused at first, but when she saw Besthe's teeth, she happily went after Kovu.

"And STAY. OUT!" shouted Bunga. Kion made his roar, and sent Vitani flying. Luckily for her Mbawa caught her mid- air and could leave her on the ground safely.

They finally arrived to the Outlands, bruised, dirty and hurt in their pride.

"Why did you came after me?" asked Mbawa, a bit angry. Kovu and Vitani looked away, ashamed.

"We… we were playing and…" said Kovu.

"We thought you needed some help…" continued Vitani. "Are you angry at us?" she asked, truly saddened.

"Of course not, how could I?" said Mbawa, hugging them. "Next time, just leave me handle it, promise?" she asked smiling. The cubs happily nodded, and went to find Zira.

"Ummm, Zira?" started Mbawa, as the lioness greeted her cubs. "I think we have a little problem…"

"What happened?" she said, licking Kovu.

"Remember that son Simba had?" continued Mbawa. "We have met him and all his friends, they call themselves lion guard, or something like that. For sure annoying." Told Mbawa.

"Simba?!" growled Zira. "Simba's cubs beating my kids, and my friend? Tell me where is that cub, Mbawa."

"Zira, be realistic. Are you going to face Simba, and his pride,alone? Have some common sense. Besides, I'm sure it's only a temporary obsesion. If not, you have the cub for dinner. What's the deal?" said Mbawa.

"The roar. The roar is the big deal." Growled Zira.

"What is the roar?" asked the three of them, and Nuka, who just came in the den, sat and stood there to learn about it. He had heard many things, but he wasn't sure if they were real.

"The roar is a special gift that the leader of the lion guard has… he can summom the kings of the past, to roar with him…" said Zira pacing. "and now that stupod Kion has it…" she growled.

"That thing nearly blew me off…" said Vitani, trembling.

"HE ROARED AT YOU?!"asked Zira angrily.

"I suppose so…" said Vitani, a bit scared of her own mother. "Yes, I think he did."

"I was able to catch her before she fell… that Kion is serious." Added Mbawa. Zira only let out a growl, and stormed off to the Pridelands. She managed to arrive to Priderock unseen.

"Simba!" roared Zira. As she got no response, she roared again, louder. "SIMBA!"

Simba's eyes opened wide. He wasn't expecting that. He ordered Kiara and Nala to hide, and he got out.

"Zira. You are exiled. Why have you come back?" asked Simba, calm but with anger slipping under his words.

"Just to get some payback on that son of yours, he nearly killed my daughter and a friend." Said Zira, scratching the ground with her long claws. "Where is he?" Suddenly a hippo hit Zira and sent her flying. She quickly got up, and faced the lion guard.

"Looking for me, Zira?" asked Kion pouncing on her. She only had to swipe her paw to maje Kion fly like a puppet. She attacked Fuli, but the cheetah dodged her, an Bunga jumped on Zira.

"Kion!" shouted Simba, and got off Priderock, running. Zira took Bunga off her and headed to Simba. Both collided with each other in a ball of claws and teeth. Fur flew as the two cats fought. The guard was helping Kion get up. He was about to get in, but they stopped him in time. The lionesses of the pride had heard everything, and at seeing Zira biting Simba's throat, they went for her. Zira bravely tried to put up with the four of them, but they were too much. Wounds started to apppear on her skin. She finally stopped fighting and started dodgimg to save her life. She looked for a gap and jumped between two lionesses, escaping with them closely behind. The guard also followed. Zira stopped a moment, the blood loss had made her weak, and she needed to catch her breath. Kion came from behind and bit her tail. Zira yelled. Kion continued biting her tail, till he drawed blood. She weakly got up, and fell again.

"Get going, Zira!" growled Kion. It made her so angry, she would' ve ripped him apart gladly in that moment. But as Simba had brought so many foes, she had to give up. She looked up to an angry cub. She had lost. But the war wasn't over.

"Well done, son." Said Simba to Kion. They headed home back again, Kion's chest inflated with ego.

Zira arrived much later to her cubs, who were terribly worried. Mbawa's worst fear had cone true. Zira lost conciousness as the healer of the Outlanders came to see her. He said she only needed rest, food and water. Things really hard to find there. Mganga, the old lion that was the healer, stayed with Zira all night, and so did the cubs. Nuka licked his mother's wounds to clean them, and Mganga did the same on the other side. Mbawa went off to find her some food. She only managed to get a recently dead hare, that Zira devoured in a heartbeat when she woke up. She tried to stand up, but Mganga stopped her. She would need more rest if she wanted to be completely healed. Zira sighed strongly, and lied down again, her head between her paws. On her eyes, there was a shine of rage that Nuka hadn't seen before, and Mganga told him to get the cubs out there. Nuka felt his blood cold on his veins as he went with his adopted brothers. And Zira fell asleep, smiling at the thought of sweet revenge. Mganga remembered when he was a cub… Zira had something much worse than external wounds, she had hate in her heart. And for Mganga, that was impossible to heal…


	2. All different, but still the same

It was a warm african night. Between two bars of the cage that had been folded by the first resident, a tiger cub got off to see her friend, Busara the elephant. She greeted Aasha, the tiger, with a gentle touch of her trunk. Aasha was really excited, Busara had promised to tell her the ending of the story she hadn't ended days before. Near by Busara's electric fence, Sauti, the green winged macaw, could be heard flapping his wings frantically. The moon entered the tent, so they could see clearly. Busara started her story, but then they heard something flying. Sauti landed roughly on Busara's back. She smiled. The macaw panted heavily, but still smiled back. It was his first flight since 6 months ago. Jack, the owner of the circus, had been bitten by him after hitting the macaw accidentally. The man was so angry he clipped the parrot's wings, and made him stay in a perch for the visitors to take pics with him. What Jack didn't knew was that Sauti practised flying by flapping his wings every night. He had planned to escape the circus as soon as he could. He got on Busara's trunk, and the elephant got him down, to meet Aasha, the little cub. The tigress showed great curiosity.

"Nice to see you again, Sauti." Sounded a deep voice from the darkness. It was Dekha, Aasha's mother.

"Who is Sauti?" asked Aasha.

"I am, little one. Nice to meet you, at last." Said the macaw biting her ear playfully. Aasha giggled. They played like that, until Wame, the lion, growled. He was the only one who didn't had a cage, and the only animal loyal to Jack. He even slept with him sometimes, and was the undoubted star of every show. Now, the black lion was chewing a huge bone in a pile of old clothes. The others inmediately stopped, they knew Wame could punish them as Jack did, or worse.

Sauti flew again on Busara's head, scared of the lion. Then Jack entered the tent, angry, drunk and with a rifle on his hand. The macaw spreaded his wings and flapped frantically.

"Sauti, the heck are you doing?" asked Busara, worried.

"I'm getting you all out of here." Said the parrot. "Or at least, to try." He flew off, screaming. He got down to Dekha's cage, and opened it quickly. Dekha jumped away, and tried to run off, followed by Aasha. Only a few meters to freedom. But Wame was quicker, and got in the middle of the door, growling. Dekha stopped and quickly went back to the cage, with Aasha hanging from her mouth. She had seen the lion kill for less important things, and she certainly did not wanted that to herself and her daughter.

"Good boy, Wame." Said Jack, petting the lion's head. He clumsily got near the cage, and closed it again. He nearly fell a couple of times, but Wame holded him up. He then saw Sauti, on one of the metal bars that holded the tent. He slowly charged his rifle.

"You can escape, now go!" said Busara and Dekha.

"But… what about you?" asked Sauti worried.

"We'll get out, and meet again, don't worry." Said Busara. Sauti landed on her, and wished everyone luck. He then winked an eye to Aasha, and promised soon she'd be free. Aasha looked at him with her huge blue eyes, full of innocence, but teary for the scene.

Then Sauti flew again, this time to Jack. The man got the rifle prepared, and shot clumsily. He fell backwards, and threw the rifle to the parrot. The macaw dodged, and went for his trainer and torturer. He bit one of his fingers hardly, till he heard bone snapping. At least, he wouldn't beat the other animals as good as he did usually. Jack screamed, and tried to catch Sauti, but he flew away, dissapearing into the dark but clear sky. Some screams of joy could be heard above, as the bird circled the tent. The man got his rifle again, and started shooting the tent crazily. Dekha covered her daughter's head with her huge paws and hugged her, calming her. Wame roared, deep and loud, disgusted.

"Bah, a parrot isn't worth a shot. He'll die soon." Said Jack. Wame got back to his bone, not without leaving a menacing glare to the rest of the animals. He smiled, confident, as Sauti flew fast to his new home.

Meanwhile, Nuka looked to the stars. It had been a rough day, he failed all the training, and he missed a rabbit that jumped suddenly out of nowhere. Of course, Zira had reprimanded him, badly, as she always did. Mbawa was with him, perched on his back. She carefully preened her wings, conforting Nuka with her presence.

"I will never be anything." Sighed Nuka.

"Again with that?" said Mbawa, seemingly angry, but Nuka knew she wasn't "You know Scar said that… and he was king…"

"I wish I could see him again…" said Nuka. He remembered his father. His loving lessons, his smell, his clean black mane, and his shiny green eyes. But Zira… Just the day Scar died, the misunderstanding happened. Nuka remembered it clearly, even if he was only a little cub at the moment. Zira was lying down, with him between her paws.

"Scar, I think it's time for you to choose a heir." Just days before, a lioness, Zira's closest friend, had died during birth. Zira had chosen to adopt the cubs. One was surprisingly similar to Scar. She chose to call him Kovu. The other was a sand coloured female, very fierce and smart. Zira called her Vitani.

"Well, Kovu can't…" said Scar, but Shenzi appeared on the entrance of the panted heavily.

"Scar!" she said, trying to catch her breath. "Lion on the southern border." Was the only thing she could say, before panting heavily again.

"See you later!" shouted Scar, bolting out of the den.

"Kovu as heir…" Zira had heard the contrary thing. She had heard can, when it was can't. Little did they knew, that that little mistake would make Nuka's life horrible. Zira already didn't like him much, he didn't really knew why. Perhaps was his highly energetic personality, his wish to make everyone happy.

Later that day, happened the tragedy for Scar's family. Simba made him fell of Pride Rock, and then the hyenas tore him apart. But Zira always thought it was the fire who killed her beloved lion. The body was so burnt it was impossible to make any conclussion. Zira, who was out hunting with her pride, received the news with shock. She inmediately attacked Simba, who with the help of his pride reduced her, and only let her live because she had cubs. Zira's pride, which Simba and the pridelanders called the Outlanders, chose to stay with her. Zira left Pride Rock, followed by the Outsiders, but not before telling Simba about her adopted son, Kovu, and how he would be king one day. She left proudly, with her head up, although she was still bleeding from the fight.

"This ain't over, Simba…" she murmured as she went off. Only Nuka, who was being roughly carried by her, heard that menacing sentence.

As for Shenzi and her clan, they regrouped after the fight, to find that surprisingly, though more or less wounded, mostly everyone survived. They left quickly, as they feared the worst. What would Zira do, if she knew the truth?. Shenzi was terrified, and made the clan go without rest for three days, well past the Outlands, to make sure Ziracpuldn't find her. Mwisho finally confessed his feelings for her, and she made him her mate. Soon they had a son, med Janja. He was really a clever boy, with potential to be a leader. Banzao too had two cubs of his own, Cheezi and Chungu. They weren't the sharpest tool in the shed, but they were loyal and stubborn followers of Janja. When the three were old enough, Janja gathered a group of teens, as him, and they went off to find some new territory. The old one was starting to become too crowded to live in. Janja finally arrived to the Pridelands, but as soon as Kion knew he was there, he made him leave. Janja established his clan in the Outlands, near the Pridelands to use every opportunity life gave him. But that lion and his friends… they were truly annoying. And what Janja didn't knew was that there was another clan of hyenas there, and even lions. Life was difficult, but Janja was used to it. It wasn't much better in his crowded pack.

As Nuka remebered his start in life, and how much he missed Scar, his eyelids slowly fell over his eyes, and he fell asleep. Mbawa stayed with him all night, watching over him.


	3. A warm welcome

"Mom, Mom, can we go play?" Asked Kovu, excited.

"Yes, you can…" Kovu and Vitani screamed happily, and were about to wander of when Zira added. "But Nuka has to go with you."

"Whyis it always me…" muttered Nuka, getting up and bumping the cubs as he walked. Kovu trippled and fel, and Zira growled to her older son, in disgust.

"But mother…" started Vitani.

"No buts, that is the deal." Cut Zira.

"Please say no…" muttered Nuka, as the cubs nodded an unhappy yes. "Shit…" murmured Nuka, walking off with his brother and sister.

After a bit of walking, Kovu perked up.

"I know how to cheer the place!" he said "how about a song?"

"Please don't" growled Nuka in disgust, rolling his eyes.

"I'm gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware" started singing Kovu, with his claws out.

"Well, I've never seen a king or beast with quite so little hair" said Nuka rolling his eyes and plucking a hair of Kovu's head and laughing maniacally.

"I'm gonna be the main event, like no king was before." Replied Kovu, singing. "I'm brushing up on looking down,I'm working on my roar!" He got on a rock and tried to roar, but only a squeaky sound came out.

"Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing…" said Nuka to himself.

"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!" said both Kovu and Vitani, bolting away.

"You've rather a long way to go, damn termite, if you think!" shouted Nuka, getting on the way.

"No one saying, "do this"" said Kovu, stopping on his tracks, as Vitani got on Nuka's back. He bucked, not able to get her down.

"Now when I said that, I…" growled Nuka, still bucking. Kovu got on his back too.

"No one saying, "be there"" kept the song Vitani, as Kovu bit Nuka's tail.

"What I meant was…"growled Nuka, throwing Vitani from his back.

"No one saying, "stop that"" sang Kovu

"Look, what you don't realice…" growled Nuka, going to tell him he was going to be the king, but he was interrupted.

"No one saying, "see here"" sang the both of them, getting on a meerkat den.

"Now see here!" said Nuka, digging to get them out. They giggled, and poked out a hole on the other side, and started running.

"Free to run around all day!" shouted Lovu and Vitani.

"Well, that's definitely out" said Nuka to himself as he ran after the cubs.

"Free to do it all my way!" sang Kovu, before he saw Nuka standing in front of him, angrily.

"I think it's time that you and I, arranged a heart to heart…" said Nuka, getting his claws out and holding the smaller cub with a paw, and smiling sinisterly.

"Kings don't need advice from little termites for a start" said Vitani as she bit Nuka's leg. He yowled, and tried to catch her, but he fell in a cloud of dust with empty claws. Brother and sister were running around again.

"If this is where the monarchy is headed, count me out!"Out of service, out of Africa, I wouldn't hang about!" screamed Nuka, desesperate.

"This child is getting wildly out of wing…"said Mbawa, who flew up in the sky, to her daily search of food, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!" shouted Kovu, as the cubs arrived to a tree where some thick billed crows were resting.

"Hey, guys, let's have some fun!"cawed the leader. "I know that song!"

"Everybody look left! Everybody look right!" the crows did as Kovu said. Everywhere you look, I'm standin' in the spotlight!" sang Kovu, as he got on a branch in the middle of the crows.

"Not yet!" said Nuka, jumping on the branch, but Kovu dodged and it broke. The crows flew, startled.

"Now it's our turn, guys!" said the leader. "Let every creature go for broke and sing, let's hear it in the herd and on the wing,it's gonna be King Kovu's finest fling" sang the crows bothering Nuka, who tried to catch them.

"Oh, I just can't wait to be kiiiing!" ended Kovu and Vitani, running of Nuka's sight, as he was still being pestered by the crows. They scratched his skin with their sharp claws, and obe even pulled a tuft of his growing mane with his strong beak. They finally left him in peace, laughing and cawing. Nuka's skin showed some cuts, but the true pain was in his pride… He had let two cubs and a bunch of birds take over. Maybe he wasn't so good to be a king?

"You see, my idea worked!" said Kovu, nudging Vitani.

"Your idea?" asked Vitani, stopping on her tracks. "I was the one who suggested it, in case you don't remember. Kovu simply gorwled, and pounced on her. They squabbled a bit, until she pinned him, but she froze in place.

"What has gotten into you?" he asked, as he saw she didn't paid attention to his attempts to keep playing. She simply turned Kovu's head. His jaw dropped.

"A volcano…" he murmured. "Let's check it out!" both shouted, running for it. A thin column of smoke came from the top of the volcano, as the cubs ran and jumped happily between rivers of lava and geisers.

Meanwhile, Nuka had made back to her mother.

"M-m-mother?" he asked carefully.

"What do you want, Nuka?" she asked, not in a friendly way.

"It's… hummm… about…"

"About what?!" she snapped. "Come on, spit it out!"she said, as she saw him frozen in place.

"Kovu and Vitani escaped…" Nuka felt much better after having released it, but prepared for the shouting that was to come.

"How could you… again?!" she said. Nuka shrieked, and waited for another yell. But surprisingly, Zira only growled a bit, and without his response, she stormed off. Mbawa landed next to Nuka, and they both shared a stare of complicity, a result of spending so many time together. Then, without talking, they both went tp find some bones, it was the only thing to eat in that horrible, dry place.

Zira ran with her snout to the floor. She found Kovu's scent, and growled again, lowly. She knew wher they were heading, and she didn't liked it a bit. She ran again, angry, but above everything, scared for her adoptive children.

As she searched frantically, Kovu and Vitani had found how to enter the volcano. With a glare of complicity to each other, they ran into the volcano. They arrived to where the lava was. Their eyes shone with excitement, but the heat made it really uncomfortable to be there.

Kovu rubbed his eyes, panting from the heat. When he opened them, he saw a black column of smoke going up. It wasn't there before. He asked Vitani if she saw it too, and she simply nodded. The column grew wider, and slowly took the shape of a lion. Vitani and Kovu shook their heads, but it still resembled a lion's head, even more than before. A lion that they knew well. Black mane, shining eyes… and a scar over his left eye.

"Father?" asked Kovu, cautiously.

"Yes Kovu, I am." Scar smiled. "How have you been doing?" he asked.

"We are good." Said Vitani, not quite believing it.

"Why don't you come closer, so I can see you better?" said Scar. "The future king… he said, looking to Kovu and bowing. The rocks near the edge were loose, and they could drop to the dangerous lava at each moment. The cubs were anout to obbey, hpnotized, but another familiar voice snapped them back to reality.

"KOVU! VITANI!" roared Zira, her claws leaving marks against on the hard rock. "COME DOWN RIGHT NOW!" now they could see her face, but she still couldn't enter the volcano. The gap was too small, and she started scartching ot frantically to get the cubs out. She called them again. Vitani and Kovu looked back to the lava. Scar's face had sissapeared, turning back into the column of smoke. Both cubs didn't knew if they imagined it, or if the encounter with their adoptive father was real. They simply stood there, looking to the lava again, amazed.

"If you don't come back RIGHT NOW…"warned Zira from the hole. It had been made a bit bigger by her, but she still couldn't enter. The cubs came back to reality again, and this time they ran to their mother, with their tails tucked, heads down and looking defeated.

"Never, ever, do that again!" she shouted, tackilng them against the floor. They closed their eyes. Zira's claws dig on the rock and ash, showing how frustrated she was. Her tail flicked frim side to side, as a whip.

"So-sorry mother…" said both cubs.

"No sorry matters now." She growled. "When your brother, or me, say something, you DO IT!" she said, roughly picking Kovu up, and getting low to let Vitani climb on her. Both cubs were destroyed, no longer wanting to play or with their usually cheerful attitude. They didn't told anything about what they saw to anyone, their mother's reaction was more than enough to make them shut for good.

Thr truth was, Zira knew what happened if you stayed too many time in the volcano. The toxic gas messed with your head, making you see things that aren't there, and she wasn't going to let it happen again. Her mother had told her many, many timed the story of her childhood friend, that after going one time to the volcano, she never was the same, and ended up dying in the bubbling lava. Zira only hoped it wasn't too late for her two cubs.

After Zira had gone, Janja and their hyenas went to their den again. Ushari, the cobra showed up, slithering to Janja's feet. He stared at the cobra ininquiringly

"All isss ready." He said. Janja nodded and laughed, and so did the rest of the hyenas. Soon they would have all the power. Ushari laughed too, with the hyenas… after everyone stepped on him, now they would pay. For everything.


	4. Enemies become friends

It was the start of a new day in the Outlands. Zira had woken her children up before sunrise to train them. Kovu, since the visit to the volcano, was much lore eager to the training. He was never like that, always wanting to play instead of practising killing and hunting. Nuka and Vitani were with him. Vitani was learning to hunt with a piece of wood, and Nuka did the same.

"Nuka, I have something for you." Said Zira, signaling him to follow. She didn't went far before she pointed to her surprise. "There it is, your first prey." She smiled. A raven was om the floor, panting, with his feathers all ruffled and messy. His eyes were closed.

"Enjoy" said Zira, petting his head, and leaving him surprised. She was never that nice to him. Maybe she was starting to appreciate what he could do, at last? Nuka smiled, and took his claws out. The crow didn't cared, or at least didn't moved. Nuka stopped on his tracks. He recognized that crow. It was the one who messed with him and made Kovu and Vitani able to go away. He was eager to take revenge, wasn't he? He quickly got near, a vengeful growl growing on his throat. But he stopped again, unsure of what to do.

"Make it quick, please." Spoke the raven. His voice was broken, and showed all the sadness he had. Nuka opened his mouth, to bite his neck and end his life. But the crow spoke again. "And… sorry about the other day. We messed up. Big time. Please, don't hurt them, take me". He was speaking about his flock. Nuka's mouth was still opened, but not in anger, this time it was in surprise. The raven waited, pressing his eyelids strongly. The only thing that came was a loud thump.

"What are you waiting for?" asked the raven, opening an eye cautiously. Nuka was sitting in front of him. "The sooner, the better…" Nuka repeated the process, but he ended up sitting again.

"I… I can't." he nearly whispered it. "I just can't do it."

"Try to hate me with all your might… Trust me, it's the best for both of us, especially for you." Said the bird.

"I said I can't!" roared Nuka, desesperate. "I'm helping you, if you do what I say, we'll both end well." Said the young lion. "Can you fly?" he asked to the bird.

"I don't know, my wings hurt, a lot." Answered the raven.

"Let me check if they are broken." Nuka had spent a lot of time with Mganga, and knew what he was doing. The raven was unsure, and cocked his eyebrow. "Please?" asked Nuka, nicely. The raven sighed and rolled his eyes, but still opened his wing. Nuka checked it, and then the other. They weren't broken, just a bit bruised. Zira had been really careful with him, most of the prey she brought weren't as near as lucky.

"I'll have to hide you." Said Nuka, lowering himself. The raven seemed unsure of what to do. "Come on, get on! We can't lose any minute!" said Nuka, nearly screaming The bird obeyed, surprised by Nuka's sudden burst of leadership. "Hold well, it's going to be a fast trip." Warned the lion, suddenly running, with his stomach low to the ground. But he had to pass in front of Vitani, Kovu and Zira. There wasn't another way to his den. He crouched, hpong not to be seen. He ordered the raven to get off, and to make a run for the den, a small cave near the training plain. He would distract his family, and then check on them. But first, he needed a plan. He looked around, to see what he could use. He saw a flock of birds eating some red berries. Perfect. He ran to the bush, picked up a mouthful of the berries, and pressed hard. The red juice ran on his chin, turning it red. He pawed at the bush, leaving his paws red too. It was perfect. The raven was really impressed, that was a nice trick.

"Not bad for a dumb, useless runt" he winked to Nuka. The young lion was astounished

"How do you know that?" he asked. That was the way his mother used to call him.

"We know more than everyone thinks." Replied the bird, stood for a moment, not sure about what to say. When he saw his family distracted, he told the bird to run, and he ran to his mother, yelling in happiness.

"Mother! Mother!" he shouted, jumping with his long legs and slim body. He looked like some kind of weird, sharp teethed gazelle.

"Have you ended yet with your surprise?" she smiled.

"Yes, I did." He said. "Thanks, Mother." He bowed to her. Zira smiled, and saw Nuka wander off to his cave.

"OK, so here we are. Keep really quiet and hide whenever you hear someone." Said Nuka. "I'll bring you some painkillers." The raven nodded and hid between some rocks.

During the following days, Nuka and the raven, called Akili, befriended each other. Nuka spent all night hunting for himself and the bird, and so, his tasks as caretaker of the cubs failed usually, as he felt asleep easily. Zira started suspecting. Nuka developed a sign with Akili, to let him know he could come out. He tapped three times a rock with a claw, and the bird did the same.

After two weeks, Akili felt strong enough to fly again. He tried in the morning, early, soaring the sky easily. He was so excited that a caw escaped from his mouth once or twice. Nuka watched him happily and worried at the same time. If Zira saw it…

"Well, I suppose now you can go to lead your flock again" sighed Nuka. He was a bit sad to see his new friend go again.

"Well…" started Akili "That will be a bit of a problem."

"Why?" asked Nuka, sitting and cleaning his paws.

"Ummm, my flock won't be happy to see me again. When someone of us is caught, and if that someone is the leader, he is inmediately humiliated, and not anymore part of the flock. Much less the leader."

"I can help with that too" smiled Nuka, jumping up. "Let's go!"

"Where?" asked Akili.

"Come on, there is no time to lose!" the bird reluctantly got up, and Nuka started running. After a bit, Akili took off, flying along the lion with happiness. He cawed. He felt so free. Nuka ran faster, trying to roar too.

Finally, they arrived. Akili's flock was on the same tree that the past time. Nuka pushed gently the raven with his snout. Akili cocked an eyenbrow. Nuka smiled and pushed him again. Akili took a step forward. The others spotted him.

"Hey, guys, look who is back"

"I knew this would be a bad idea" muttered Akili as the rest jumped to attack him. He stood, prepared for fight. Just when they were going to get him, Nuka jumped out of where he was hiding. He pinned the one who ordered the attack, who now cawed scared. The lion growled, but released the bird after some threats. Akili got on Nuka's shoulder.

"I see that's the way you treat some of your own kind, that has been hurt and that you seemed to care for not long ago."said the raven, serious. The others looked ashamed.

"Sorry, Akili" they muttered, first the new head of the flock and then the rest.

"I know it's our tradition, but that doesn't mean it's good. What if, now, I set up a new tradition: feed traitors to the lions?" said Akili, seemingly wondering. Nuka lickes his chops. "Luckily for you, that's not happening… I'm still the same as before." The rest sighed, glad because they knew what could have happened to them.

"Thank you, Nuka. You are truly noble." The raven then flapped his wings, cawing, and the rest of his flock followed inmediately, cawing too.

Nuka came back slowly. The sun was coming down, leaving pretty shade of oranges and reds in the sky. Nuka kickes the rocks, taking his time and enjoying the walk. He smiled, but he was also sad, he didn't knew if he would see his new friend again. When he arrived at the den, it was completely dark outside, except of the light of the stars. Nuka, as always, and as he didn't remember Akili wasn't there, tapped the rock three times. He sighed, smiling and proceeded to enter when he heard three taps answering him back. The blood on his veins freezed, as pure horror came to his face.


End file.
